Published: February 16, 2008 11:02 pm      

MAD trains young athletes

By MONICA JOSEPH

monica.joseph@goshennews.com

A local sports training company has opened in Elkhart County designed to build speed and strength in young athletes, but also to “be good role models on or off the court,” according to company official Matt Young.

MAD Sports Training, an acronym for Making a Difference, is a Nashville, Tenn.,-based company that recently extended its services to the Elkhart area.

While the trainers do work with adults,“our big goal is to work with kids to make a difference in their lives,” said Young, vice president and director of athletic performance.

MAD runs clinics and camps for youth from age 11 up to professional athletes in their 20s, Young said.

The company has worked with athletes from Elkhart Christian Academy and Holy Cross College, along with other local students.

Sessions are conducted every day of the week at Eastlake, the Sports Center in Elkhart and at local schools, including a current camp at Concord Junior High School.

The goal of MAD is to make youngsters better athletes, Young said.

While sports-specific training is available, many of the sessions have athletes from several different sports.

The theory, he said, is that strength and speed training and concentrating on better footwork and body control will make athletes better at whatever sport they play, as well as more coachable in their sport.